As is well known, spaces between tiles that are fixed to a wall or floor are typically filled with grout, which is produced by mixing grout powder with water. Because of the presence of cement powder, the grout upon drying will cure and effectively adhere and fill the spaces between the tiles. For improving the stain repellency, the tiles may have been surface treated with a fluorochemical composition which generally also provides water and oil repellency to the tile surface. Such is for example of particular interest for bathroom tiles. For example, it has been disclosed to use a fluorochemical silane to treat for example the surfaces of tiles to render these oil- and water repellent as illustrated for example by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,003; 5,442,011; 5,550,184; and 5,274,159.
However, while the tile surface is thereby rendered repellent to water, oil and dirt, the grout spaces between them, when left untreated, still pick up dirt thereby somewhat reducing the benefits of having treated tiles. Accordingly, it has already been proposed to also treat the surface of the grout between the tiles with a fluorochemical compound in order to effect repellency properties also to the grout. For example, GB Pat. No. 2,218,097 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,775, disclose treatment of tiles as well as cured cement materials on the surface of a grout with a fluorochemical silane compound.
Although these treatments of the grout surface are effective, the durability of the treatment leaves a desire for further improvement. Also, applying the treatment to a grout filling a space between tiles would be highly labor intensive and therefore costly.
It would thus be desirable to provide oil- and/or water repellency as well as stain repellency to grout in a cost effective way and preferably with improved durability.